The two most common wrapping film options are Shrink Film and Stretch Film. Although the words “shrink” and “stretch” kind of tell the difference, people still confuse them with each other because they are made from plastic.
Shrink Films and Stretch Films are not the same thing and using one in place of another will only degrade the quality of the task. So, you should know the difference before you buy or start using Shrink Film or Stretch Film.
Shrink Film vs Stretch Film :
The difference between Shrink Film and Stretch Film is that Shrink Films are made from polymer plastics. On the other hand, Stretch Films are made from the usual plastic. Therefore, when you heat Shrink Films, they contract but when you heat Stretch Films, they catch fire. Other differences between Shrink Film and Stretch Film are:
- Use
Shrink Films are used as packaging itself to store items but Stretch Films are used to combine already packed goods in a cluster.
- Procedure
Shrink Films are wrapped around the object and then heat is applied over the film. This makes the film contract in size and sticks to the object. On the other hand, Stretch Films are very elastic, and when they are applied around an object, they stick to it.
- Made Up Of
Shrink Films are made from low-density polyethylene (LDPE) which gives them the ability to shrink when heated. Stretch Film is manufactured from linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) that gives it elasticity.
- Machines Used
In the case of Shrink Films, a heat source is needed to activate the film. This heat can be provided by machines like a heat gun, hairdryer, heat conveyor, or a heat tunnel. On the other hand, Stretch Films can be wrapped using hands or a wrapping machine which of course increases the efficiency.
- Applications
Shrink Films are used as storage objects to store other materials. Some of the common uses of Shrink Films are wrapping vegetables and fruits, meals, and vehicles. On the other hand, Stretch Films are used to store multiple boxes together, to decrease used space by closely packing materials and others.
Black Plastic Shrink Wrap :
One of the kinds of available Shrink Films is the black shrink wrap. As is obvious, black shrink wrap is black result, it is opaque. The features of black plastic shrink wrap are:
- It can protect your package from UV rays
- It can prevent unwanted attention to your package
- It can help identify your package from different objects
- It is food for packing foods as they are susceptible to sunlight
Conclusion
As said before, the properties and applications of Shrink Films and Stretch Films differ and they shouldn’t be used in place of each other. Make sure you don’t fall into an accident if you misinterpret a stretch film for shrink film and heat it. Know the difference and then use the one suitable for your project.